(left) and
George Walker (right) "Nobody" embodies the struggle that Bert Williams and
George Walker went through during their lives both as citizens and performers on the vaudeville stage. As black men living during the
Jim Crow era when blacks were
openly disenfranchised, Williams and Walker used their platform to protest such flagrant
racism. Off the stage, they were accomplished individuals who tried to separate themselves as distinguished and sophisticated; thus, defying the pervasive
stereotypes of black men. Traveling as a performer, Williams faced issues with hotels not letting him use the same elevators or facilities as whites, and white performers not wanting to perform with him. He took those experiences to the stage with him, giving the audience his real life that they could relate to. As the businessman of the group, Walker was in charge of managing and handling the dealings of
Williams and Walker Co. He likewise experienced the realities of being black in a business that did not cater to black performers. Trying to combat their own realities and the known condition of blacks in America, Williams used the song as a statement. Debuting in
Abyssinia, the song was part of an effort to regain legitimacy and agency for the black community. Much like their other shows,
Abyssinia was an attempt to bring attention to black excellence, specifically in
Africa. The historical
Abyssinia, or the Ethiopian empire, was dominant from about 1270 to 1974. Showing reverence to the Empire, Williams and Walker set out to put its dominance on display so that their audience would not only be educated, but also empowered by its greatness. It represented a resurgence of the black community in America, as it was a symbol of greatness. It was also a symbol for the longevity and depth of roots that blacks have, giving black Americans the confidence and mentality to succeed in the midst of oppression. The show
Abyssinia was a smash hit, intertwining the depths and gravity of the historical narrative with the common stereotypes, drenched in drama and humor. The
Topeka Daily Capital wrote about the shows debut that "the complications arising are varied and many, and furnish the theme of
Abyssinia, the latest and by far the best vehicle in which these clever
colored comedians ever appeared." This musical was one of the highlighted works of their careers, showing off their talent along with their awareness of their common plight, situated within an overarching historical narrative. Williams uses "Nobody" as the counter to the stereotype that whites had about blacks at the time. During
slavery, many stereotypes were formed to justify the racist actions against blacks to keep them at the bottom of the social totem pole. Stemming from images, phrases and common beliefs, the stereotypes held power and weight, as they were the force and the background behind much of the daily encounters that whites had with blacks even after
the end of slavery. These stereotypes did not even have to make sense. "For instance, an enslaved person forced under violence to work from sunrise to sunset could hardly be described as 'lazy,' yet laziness, as well as characteristics of docility, backwardness, lasciviousness, treachery, and dishonesty, historically became characteristic of
African Americans." As social classes were beginning to form, and the
middle class was emerging, whites felt pressured to thwart the growth of blacks, using these stereotypes in any way that could be justified. As a result, these beliefs crept their way into the entertainment industry and onto the
vaudeville stage, as
blackface minstrelsy was becoming increasingly popular. Scholar
Alan Trachtenberg asserts that "new
social roles developed for culture. Changes in social structure, the polarization of rich and poor, and the growth of a salaried middle class anxious about its own opportunity — indeed, created the necessity — for the healing properties identified within
high culture." Bert Williams took note of the changing culture, and used the stereotypes to work both for and against the white people in his audience. == Lyrical implications ==